The present invention relates to a pinch-grip hanger, and more particularly to a pinch-grip hanger adapted for use in transporting articles such as garments.
Pinch-grip hangers are well known. A hanger body includes an attachment portion for securing the hanger body to a support (for example, a hook for securing the hanger body to a transversely-extending elevated rod). A pinch-grip is attached to the hanger body. Optionally, the hanger body also includes a transverse portion defining a pair of free ends (for example, a pair of outwardly extending wings for supporting the shoulders of a jacket), and optionally one pinch-grip is disposed adjacent to each of the transverse portion free ends. Each pinch-grip includes a pair of vertically-extending components, means for pivotally securing the components together, and means for biasing the bottom ends of the components together. Typically each component has an upper end, a lower end and a central or connecting component portion between the ends. The bottom ends are configured and dimensioned to cooperatively receive and maintain an article therebetween under the influence of the biasing means. Preferably the securing means pivotably secures one connecting component portion to another connecting component portion. To insert or remove an article from the hanger, the upper ends of the components are pressed together so that the components pivot relatively and the lower ends thereof separate. In this "open" or releasing orientation, the article may be removed from or secured to the hanger. Finally, when the upper ends of the components are released, the biasing means causes the components to pivot relatively and return more-or-less to their original orientation with the upper ends spaced apart and the lower ends biased together. In this "closed" or gripping orientation, an article may be suspended by and between the component bottom ends. If no article is between them, the component bottom ends may actually touch and abut, thereby to form an "abutting" orientation.
Such pinch-grip hangers are frequently used at retail stores to display garments suspended from the pinch-grips, such as a pair of pants, a skirt, or the like. In the optimal retail setting, the garment hangers (and the garments thereon) are sufficiently spaced from one another along a rod or other elevated horizontally extending support so that the pinch-grip components are not likely to undergo a re-orientation relative to one another as a result of pressure exerted thereon by an adjacent hanger or the clothing thereon. However, in fact, the garment hangers (and the garments thereon) are usually tightly pressed, one against the next, so as to put on display to potential customers the maximum number of garments. In this situation, the pinch-grips may open as result of the pressure exerted thereon by an adjacent hanger or by the clothing thereon. As a result, the clothing supported by the pinch-grip will fall to the floor.
Even where the hangers (and the garments thereon) are not crowded together along a rod or like support when being displayed, they are typically crowded together during handling.
In particular, pinch-grip hangers are not well suited for use in the transport (shipping) of garments suspended from or attached to the pinch-grips. During such transport, for economic reasons, typically as many hangers (and the garments thereon) as possible will be forcibly pushed together (i.e., crowded)on a rod or like support (such as the loops of a looped rope, known as "a banana rope") or in a box. Even if the close pressing together of the hangers (either on a rod or loop or in a box) is by itself insufficient to cause the opening of a pinch-grip, the added forces conveyed to the pinch-grip during transport may be sufficient to open the same. Thus, when garments are transported by various vehicles, abrupt starts-and-stops, turning or the like may result in a pinch-grip hanger losing the garment. Clearly this is highly undesirable as the garment falling completely or partially onto a floor may become ruined or may at least require pressing before it is ready to be displayed for sale. More importantly, labor costs are incurred in picking up the fallen garments during transport and reinserting them in the pinch-grip hanger. As a result of these problems, pinch-grip hangers are typically not used during transport, even though they are preferred by the retail stores.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a secure pinch-grip hanger suitable for suspending garments during transport, handling and display.
Another object is to provide such a hanger which is simple to manufacture, use and maintain and is comparable in cost to a conventional hanger of the same type.